Also called: Also called: Hypernephroma, Renal adenocarcinoma, Renal cell cancer
You have two kidneys. They are fist-sized organs on either side of your backbone above your waist. The tubes inside filter and clean your blood, taking out waste products and making urine. Kidney cancer forms in the lining of tiny tubes inside your kidneys. It happens most often in people over 40. Risk factors include smoking, having certain genetic conditions and misusing pain medicines for a long time.
Often, kidney cancer doesn't have early symptoms. However, see your health care provider if you notice
- Blood in your urine
- A lump in your abdomen
- Unexplained weight loss
- Pain in your side
- Loss of appetite
Treatment depends on your age, your overall health and how advanced the cancer is. It might include surgery, radiation, chemotherapy or biologic therapy. Biologic therapy boosts your body's own ability to fight cancer.
National Cancer Institute
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What Is Kidney Cancer (Renal Cell Carcinoma)?(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/cri/content/cri_2_4_1x_what_is_kidney_cancer_22.asp?sitearea=cri
Also available in Spanish http://www.cancer.org/docroot/ESP/content/ESP_5_1x_Qu_es.asp
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What You Need to Know about Kidney Cancer
(National Cancer Institute) - http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/wyntk/kidney
- Kidney Cancer(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/kidney-cancer/DS00360/DSECTION=all&METHOD=print
- Kidney Cancer(American Urological Association) - http://www.urologyhealth.org/adult/index.cfm?cat=04&topic=124
- FDA Greenlights New Drug for Advanced Kidney Cancer(03/31/2009, American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/NWS/content/NWS_1_1x_FDA_Greenlights_New_Drug_for_Advanced_Kidney_Cancer.asp
- Afinitor Approved for Advanced Kidney Cancer(03/30/2009, HealthDay) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_82315.html
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Cystoscopy and Ureteroscopy(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) - http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/kudiseases/pubs/cystoscopy/
- How Is Kidney Cancer (Renal Cell Carcinoma) Diagnosed?(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/cri/content/cri_2_4_3x_how_is_kidney_cancer_diagnosed_22.asp?sitearea=cri
- How Is Kidney Cancer (Renal Cell Carcinoma) Staged?(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_4_3X_How_is_kidney_cancer_staged_22.asp?sitearea=&level=
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Intravenous Pyelogram
(Patient Education Institute) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials/ivp/htm/index.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/spanish/tutorials/ivpspanish/htm/index.htm -
Kidney Biopsy(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) - http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/kudiseases/pubs/biopsy/
- Kidney Cancer: Biologic Therapy (Immunotherapy)(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_4_4X_Immunotherapy_22.asp?rnav=cri
- Kidney Cancer: Targeted Therapies(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_4_4x_Targeted_Therapies_22.asp?sitearea=
- Kidney Cancer: Treatment Choices by Stage(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_4_4X_Treatment_Choices_by_Stage_22.asp?sitearea=
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Renal Cell Cancer (PDQ): Treatment(National Cancer Institute) - http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/treatment/renalcell/patient/
Also available in Spanish http://www.cancer.gov/espanol/pdq/tratamiento/celulasrenales/patient/
- Surgical Treatment(Kidney Cancer Association) - http://www.kidneycancer.org/knowledge/learn/surgical-treatment
- Therapies for Advanced Kidney Cancer(Kidney Cancer Association) - http://www.kidneycancer.org/knowledge/learn/therapies-for-advanced-kidney-cancer
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What Are the Risk Factors for Kidney Cancer (Renal Cell Carcinoma)?(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/cri/content/cri_2_4_2x_what_are_the_risk_factors_for_kidney_cancer_22.asp?sitearea=cri
Also available in Spanish http://www.cancer.org/docroot/esp/content/esp_5_1x_prevencin_y_factores_de_riesgo.asp?
- Emotional Well-Being(Kidney Cancer Association) - http://www.kidneycancer.org/knowledge/live/emotional-well-being
- Kidney Cancer: What Happens After Treatment?(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/cri/content/cri_2_4_5x_what_happens_after_treatment_22.asp?sitearea=cri
- Living with Kidney Cancer(Kidney Cancer Association) - http://www.kidneycancer.org/knowledge/live/living-with-kidney-cancer
- Patient Empowerment(Kidney Cancer Association) - http://www.kidneycancer.org/knowledge/live/patient-empowerment
- What Should You Ask Your Doctor about Kidney Cancer?(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_4_5X_What_should_you_ask_your_physician_about_kidney_cancer_22.asp
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Kidney Cancer Risk Questionnaire(Harvard Center for Cancer Prevention) - http://www.yourdiseaserisk.siteman.wustl.edu/hccpquiz.pl?lang=english&func=home&quiz=kidney
Also available in Spanish http://www.yourdiseaserisk.wustl.edu/hccpquiz.pl?lang=spanish&func=start&quiz=kidney
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Intravenous Pyelogram(Patient Education Institute) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials/ivp/htm/index.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/spanish/tutorials/ivpspanish/htm/index.htm
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Hand-Assisted Laparoscopic Radical Nephrectomy(OR-Live) - One hour program - 7/05/2007 - http://www.or-live.com/distributors/NLM-400x300/tun_1732/rnh.cfm?id=518
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Partial Nephrectomy(OR-Live) - One hour program - 12/06/2007 - http://www.or-live.com/distributors/nlm-flash/ins_1725/rnh.cfm?id=671
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Surgical Advances in Robotic Partial Nephrectomies and Prostatectomies(OR-Live) - One hour program - 7/24/2008 - http://www.or-live.com/distributors/nlm-flash/nep_2106/rnh.cfm?id=751
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Kidneys and How They Work(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) - http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/kudiseases/pubs/yourkidneys/
Also available in Spanish http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/spanish/pubs/yourkids/
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Kidneys and Urinary Tract(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/parent/general/body_basics/kidneys_urinary.html
Also available in Spanish http://kidshealth.org/parent/en_espanol/general/kidneys_urinary_esp.html#
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Carcinoma, Renal Cell(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Carcinoma,+Renal+Cell%22
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Kidney Neoplasms(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Kidney+Neoplasms%22
- Do We Know What Causes Kidney Cancer (Renal Cell Carcinoma)?(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_4_2X_Do_we_know_what_causes_kidney_cancer_22.asp?sitearea=
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Genetics Home Reference: Birt-Hogg-Dubé syndrome(National Library of Medicine) - http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition=birthoggdubesyndrome
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Genetics Home Reference: Hereditary leiomyomatosis and renal cell cancer(National Library of Medicine) - http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition=hereditaryleiomyomatosisandrenalcellcancer
- Hereditary Non-von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma(American Society of Clinical Oncology) - http://www.cancer.net/patient/Cancer+Types/Hereditary+Non-VHL+Clear+Cell+Renal+Cell+Carcinoma
- Hereditary Papillary Renal Cell Carcinoma(American Society of Clinical Oncology) - http://www.cancer.net/patient/Cancer+Types/Hereditary+Papillary+Renal+Cell+Carcinoma
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Bevacizumab (Avastin) Benefits Some Patients with Advanced Kidney Cancer(National Cancer Institute) - http://www.cancer.gov/clinicaltrials/results/bevacizumab-kidney0607
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Everolimus Extends Progression-Free Survival in Advanced Kidney Cancer(National Cancer Institute) - http://www.cancer.gov/clinicaltrials/results/everolimus-kidney0708
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: Recommendations for the reporting of surgically resected specimens of renal... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=19369620&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Recommendations for the reporting of surgically resected specimens of renal... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=19289184&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: The necessity of adrenalectomy at the time of radical nephrectomy:... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=19286216&tool=MedlinePlus
- Kidney Cancer -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=(kidney+neoplasms[majr]+NOT+wilms+tumor[majr])+AND+english[la]+AND+humans[mh]+AND+(jsubsetk[text]+OR+review[pt]+OR+guideline[pt]+OR+patient+education+handout[pt]+OR+clinical+trial[pt])+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+editorial[pt]+OR+case+reports[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
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Kidney Diseases Dictionary
(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) - http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/kudiseases/pubs/kdictionary/
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Directory of Kidney and Urologic Diseases Organizations(National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse) - http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/resources/organizations.htm
- Find a Urologist(American Urological Association) - http://www.urologyhealth.org/find_urologist/html/index.asp
- Find an Oncologist(American Society of Clinical Oncology) - http://www.cancer.net/patient/Diagnosis+and+Treatment/Finding+Quality+Care/Find+an+Oncologist/Find+an+Oncologist+Database
- American Cancer Society - http://www.cancer.org/
- American Urological Association - http://www.auanet.org/
- Kidney Cancer Association - http://www.kidneycancer.org/
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National Cancer Institute - http://www.cancer.gov/
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Cancer of the Kidney and Renal Pelvis(National Cancer Institute) - http://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/kidrp.html
- What Are the Key Statistics for Kidney Cancer (Renal Cell Carcinoma)?(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/cri/content/cri_2_4_1x_what_are_the_key_statistics_for_kidney_cancer_22.asp?sitearea=cri
- Kidney Cancer in Children(American Urological Association) - http://www.urologyhealth.org/pediatric/index.cfm?cat=04&topic=125
- Kidney Diseases - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/kidneydiseases.html
- Wilms' Tumor - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/wilmstumor.html
- Cancers - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/cancers.html
- Kidneys and Urinary System - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/kidneysandurinarysystem.html
The primary NIH organization for research on Kidney Cancer is the National Cancer Institute - http://www.nci.nih.gov/
Kidney Cancer - Multiple Languages - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/languages/kidneycancer.html